Mans parental rights hearing adjourned

STACY LANGLEY

Published 11:01 am, Monday, April 25, 2016

BAD AXE  What was expected to be a hearing to determine if the parental rights of a Bad Axe father should be terminated was instead a hearing to move forward with a parenting/treatment plan for the mother to work toward reuniting her with her now 8-month-old child who is was at the center of a child abuse investigation after he was injured in March.

Earlier this week Shane Bonkowski, the babys father, was arraigned in Huron County District Court on a charge of second-degree child abuse in connection with injuries the child sustained when he was 4 months old.

Huron County Prosecutor Mark J. Gaertner alleges Bonkowski caused the babys closed head injury on March 28. The child was taken to Huron Medical Center in Bad Axe then transported by FlightCare to a Saginaw hospital where he was treated and later released into the custody of the Huron County Department of Human Services.

Gaertner said medical officials told police investigating the childs injuries that it was a classic case of shaken baby syndrome.

Early on in the investigation the couple claimed they accidentally dropped the baby, resulting in the childs injuries. But as the investigation moved forward, the babys mother, Jennifer Lynn Ray, began to implicate Bonkowski as the one who injured the baby while she was upstairs in the home recovering from gallbladder surgery. Gaertner said Ray has been cleared of any wrong doing involving the childs injuries.

Bonkowski did not appear on Thursday morning to take part in the Probate Court hearing, but his attorney Christopher Boyle did appear on his behalf. The hearing focused on the parenting plan between Ray and the childs caseworker Monica Siegfried from the Huron County Department DHS.

Siegfried took the witness stand, telling Judge David L. Clabuesch she has weekly contact with Ray and regular contact with the child. She also told the court she feels the mother is complying with the parenting/treatment plan and she has no reason for concern as it relates to the mother and child during their regular supervised visits.

The case worker described the parenting/treatment plan for Ray which focuses on a number of areas which include emotional support, development of parenting skills and social support, need for proper housing and employment to support her and the child in the future.

Siegfried also requested the judge order random drug and alcohol testing for Ray as a part of the plan, but added that drugs and alcohol have not been an issue with the mother. Clabuesch granted Siegfrieds request telling Ray that at any time she can be subject to random alcohol and drug testing.

The child has been placed by DHS with a family member of Ray since the March incident. At this time Bonkowski is not allowed visitation with the child pending the outcome of the criminal case. He is scheduled to appear in Huron County District Court for a preliminary examination on Aug. 3. Ray is scheduled to appear again in Probate Court in 90 days for a review of the case.